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Health Canada is informing Canadians of the results of its review of safety information for Losec (omeprazole)... In Canada, omeprazole is also sold in generic form as Apo-omeprazole, Ratio-omeprazole and Sandoz-omeprazole.

At least one of these is in capsule form; Losec at least is available in tablet form. But surprised if it would be available OTC in the US and not Canada. The price you are paying sounds very expensive!! Any other Canadians know more?

I'd talk to your neuro/vet school and vet about Clare Rusbridge's website and her treatment algorithm. Cimetidine is actually more often used than omeprazole which causes tummy upsets in many dogs and can have side-effects. Cimetidine is OTC and generic in most places as well. I am sure the vet school could contact Clare directly if they want to know more. Clare's algorithm is the most widely used approach and seen as the gold standard for SM care. I must say at this point, if professional neurologists are up to date on research in this condition, it amazes me they don't prescribe at least one CSF inhibitor as a matter of course. It can be very frustrating.

I think those of us with SM dogs often find we have to be pretty firm advocates for our dogs, on pushing for certain treatment approaches.

Shirley -- Vets internationally can't dispense gabapentin or Lyrica directly as far as I know at all, as neither is approved for vet use yet -- and if they did, they would almost certainly be more expensive than sourcing from various chemists! It is always cheaper in my experience to get a prescription even for vet meds from a vet and then buy them online from a verified source (many in the UK etc) -- significantly less expensive than paying through the vet who does another markup. I am actually thankful that at least with these more expensive meds I have the opportunity NOT to have to buy them from the vet!

Interestingly, my vet has been able to source both until about two months ago, but my pharmacist was explaining to me today that there has been a change in the law/rules re prescribing both to animals, and as you mention, I won't be able to get Lyrica from my vet for now. Funnily enough, the price has been similar, so maybe I have an expensive pharmacist or a cheap vet -unlikely )

At least one of these is in capsule form; Losec at least is available in tablet form. But surprised if it would be available OTC in the US and not Canada. The price you are paying sounds very expensive!! Any other Canadians know more?

I'd talk to your neuro/vet school and vet about Clare Rusbridge's website and her treatment algorithm. Cimetidine is actually more often used than omeprazole which causes tummy upsets in many dogs and can have side-effects. Cimetidine is OTC and generic in most places as well. I am sure the vet school could contact Clare directly if they want to know more. Clare's algorithm is the most widely used approach and seen as the gold standard for SM care. I must say at this point, if professional neurologists are up to date on research in this condition, it amazes me they don't prescribe at least one CSF inhibitor as a matter of course. It can be very frustrating.

I think those of us with SM dogs often find we have to be pretty firm advocates for our dogs, on pushing for certain treatment approaches.

Karlin
Thanks for the info about Health Canda.
Pharmacist told me specifically there is no generic and doesn't come in tablets. I will bring that to his attention. The low dose of Gabapentin originally supplied by the vet college is also disturbing. My vet is cooperative and I did refer her to Clare's website. She looked there and told me cimitidine and omeprazole are not recommended by the college for treating SM. It's all very confusing.
I appreciate your help.
Sandra

Hi Sandra: Boy, that's all very confusing, isn't it? You might try a different pharmacist. Or try cimetidine. A lot of people find this works when omeprazole doesn't (and vice versa...). I have used both on my most affected dog and neither does anything noticeable but I do give cimetidine 2 oe 3 times a day anyway as it does help inhibit CSF flow which is at the very least a good thing in itself...

Shirley -- Thanks for that -- interesting. My vets have never carried it and I've never heard of any vet anywhere (internationally) carrying it -- odd! I had always thought they could only write a prescription, not actually carry it for dispensing -- thought that was law as of a couple of years ago in Ireland, around the same time they made it illegal for non-vets to give vaccinations or microchip (rescues used to do both themselves). I think the law is a bit confusing for vets and chemists/suppliers of meds. Will have to ask next time I am in. I think maybe you have a vet giving you a good price. Can you get Lyrica from the pharmacist then? I know mine have no probs dispensing to a vet prescription but have heard others sometimes have an issue.

Oh that's interesting -- I alway just get a prescription written (and confusion on interpretation of what the current laws mean in practice!).

I think there's a lot of variation in how vets deal with the issue of human meds. Interesting that they actually stock it however -- that alone is a sign of a significant number of SM dogs -- they don't really prescribe it for dogs for much else as far as I know. Anicare hadn't even heard of it when I went to them with Leo diagnosed with SM almost 8 years ago. They tell me now that they regularly refer cavaliers for MRIs and positive diagnoses for CMSM. I am very happy that they have always been open and interested in this emerging health issue, and are not one of the practices that don't believe this is a significant problem (and therefore never or rarely refer dogs for MRI, so that the dogs never get adequate pain care).